Schedule of Events for Wednesday, 17 March

LJUBLJANA - Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner is to pay an official visit to Slovenia. She is scheduled to meet her Slovenian counterpart Dimitrij Rupel, President Janez Drnovsek and Prime Minister Anton Rop. A press conference of the two foreign ministers is scheduled at 10.50 AM. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - President of the World Bank James Wolfensohn is to wrap up his two-day visit to Slovenia. He is to meet President Janez Drnovsek and PM Anton Rop. Together with Finance Minister Dusan Mramor, Wolfensohn is to sign a letter on the graduation of Slovenia, which will be ranked among developed countries according to World Bank standards. A press conference is to follow at 11.30 AM. Wolfensohn will also attend a public presentation of the book "Slovenia: From Yugoslavia to the European Union" at noon. (STA)

ROME, Italy - Defence Minister Anton Grizold is to pay an official visit to Italy, where he is to meet his Italian counterpart Antonio Martino. The pair is expected to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views and experience about the security and political situation in Western Balkans and the Middle East region. (STA)

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The North-Atlantic Council (NAC) is expected to reach an agreement on air policing in the soon-to-be NATO members, which lack the necessary capacities, which include Slovenia. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - Montenegrin Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Milutin Simovic is to arrive for a two-day visit. He is to meet his Slovenian counterpart Franci But at 11 AM and members of the parliamentary agriculture committee at 12.45 PM.

VIENNA, Austria - Europe Minister Janez Potocnik is to speak at a ceremony held in the Austrian Parliament at Slovenia's EU accession. The event, staged by the Austrian-Slovenian Association in Vienna, is also to be attended by Austrian Parliament Speaker Andreas Kohl and Minister of Labour and Economy Martin Bartenstein.

LONDON, Great Britain - Minister of Education, Science and Sport Slavko Gaber is to pay a visit to London, where he is to discuss the implementation of the Bologna declaration and cooperation in science and technology.

BRUSSELS - A new wing of the main building will be opened at the NATO headquarters where the seven new NATO member states will have their offices.

SKOPJE, Macedonia - A delegation of the Slovenian parliamentary committee of culture, education, youth, science and sports is to leave for a visit to Macedonia.

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary commission for relations with Slovenians abroad is to discuss the bill on the relations with Slovenians living outside Slovenia at 3 PM.

LJUBLJANA - The executive committee and the council of the Youth Party (SMS) are to discuss, at separate meetings, current developments following a dispute in the party leadership, and the preparations for the European elections.

LJUBLJANA - Justice Minister Ivan Bizjak and the head of the Pentecost Church in Slovenia, Daniel Brkic, are to sign an agreement on the legal status of the Pentecost Church in Slovenia at 11 AM.

LJUBLJANA - Press review. (STA)

In case of further queries please contact duty editor at +386 1 241 0109:

8:30 AM to 3:30 PM: Ela Petrovcic
3:30 PM to 10:00 PM: Katja Kos

Comments and suggestions may be sent to: english@sta.si